A Conversation Regarding SB 199

The following is one of many possible conversations Sen. Curt Bramble could have had in deciding to write SB 199:

 

Constituent: Sen. Bramble, how is the legislature going?

Sen. Bramble: Going well, but I am running out of good ideas for my own legislation. How are you doing?

Constituent: We are doing okay; we are on our way to pay our $5 PTA dues.

Sen. Bramble: $5 PTA dues?

Constituent: Yes, every year we have to pay $5 to our local PTA? It is so expensive!

Sen. Bramble: Why do they charge dues?

Constituent: Well they need money for training, conferences, workshops, supplies, and newsletters. Then the PTA in turn votes as a council to push issues in the community, state and nation to help better education. Not to mention all the fundraising they do to put thousands of dollars into the school system.  Accomplishing all of this takes money.

Sen. Bramble: This is horrible idea! They should be able to do that for free, not charge $5.

Constituent: Oh some PTAs charge more, try $7 and other PTAs charge fees of only $1.

Sen. Bramble: I can't believe this, this injustice! We need to change this!

Constituent: Well are you ready for the kicker? Not all of the dues go to Utah PTAs. We send, on average, $1.75 to the National PTA.

Sen. Bramble: That is it! I can't take this anymore. I am going to write legislation that BANS the PTA from all schools; unless they are willing to get rid of these ridicules dues. If that means your schools loses out on valuable supplies, fundraising dollars and parent participation; then so be it. But we can't continue to have an institution like this running in Utah. Who cares if we are last in per pupil spending, the PTA has to go.

If you think this conversation is absurd, read SB 199. (See Here)

 

 

 

Sen. Bramble’s PTA Hate Bill - SB 199

Senator Curt Bramble is on the rampage again, this time he is out to get the PTA. His new rant comes in the form of SB 199. Apparently he is upset at the PTA and their requirement of dues. The current relationship of public schools and the PTA must be damaging to society in the eyes of Mr. Bramble. For this bill is targeted directly at the PTA and their relationship with public schools.

This bill requires an education entity to allow all parent groups equal access
to certain opportunities and resources.

He makes this sound like there is some sort of discrimination towards parental groups. Has parental group violence reached an all time high? Do we need new parental group hate crime laws? I can be the first to recognize the tension between the PTA and other groups, but is it really this bad?

He proposes to all but eliminate the PTA and their relationship with our local schools. His bill, SB 199 states schools are not to work in conjunction with a parent group that requires the payment of dues as a condition for participation. See Lines 52-58.

Why is this absurd? Two reasons:

1. Not all PTA dues are the same. Some PTAs charge more and others less. Each PTA organization sets their dues— $5 is not universal. Rolling Rivers Elementary PTA in Granger, charges only $1, North Sanpete High PTA charges $2.75. Is Senator Bramble really saying we should stop working with them because they charge $1 a year? What about the PTAs that do not charge a due and instead get their funds via fundraising?

   
   

2. More importantly - This could be a huge loss to schools! In Ogden, the local schools partner with Goldenwest Credit Union and the local PTAs. Every year they coordinate a 5k Race and donate plus match all the entry fees to the runner's school of choice. The PTAs jump all over this donating, man power, time, money etc. This is all done to help the schools pull off this huge event. PTA participation is crucial to the success of the event. The Goldenwest 5k has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Ogden schools. According to Sen. Bramble's legislation, this partnership would now be illegal. He could be jeopardizing thousands of dollars that go to our kids?
   

Why is he on this vendetta against the PTA? Maybe because Sen. Bramble's 2008 election opponent was RaDene Hatfield, the president of the Provo PTA Council (See Paul Rolly for the rest of the story) and is upset with their alleged involvement in her campaign.

Whether you are pro-voucher or not, this bill is disturbing and damaging to Utah's students. Bramble is out to get the PTA on this one and is going to hurt education in the process.

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